She thought that her family was an open book, without secrets. Even as a child, Barbara Jean Ellington knew her grandmothers were lesbians, a truth they never concealed. During BJ's summer vacations at their home on Blue Lake, Nonna and Lena taught her to swim and play cards, provided a lively contrast to BJ's conservative parents, and comforted BJ when her first summer romance ended abruptly and without reason. Now, years later, BJ seeks refuge in her late grandmothers' house in the wake of her husband's affair. As she relives the languid summer days of her youth and prepares the house for sale, she struggles to come to terms not only with the looming threat of divorce, but also with the Pandora's Box of family revelations she uncovers in Nonna's hidden notebooks. In them, she discovers a fifty-year family history littered with secrets from the past--secrets that have present day consequences for herself, her marriage, and for Travis, the boy who broke her heart during that long-ago summer.
With discerning prose and compelling characters, Summers at Blue Lake follows in the tradition of bestselling authors such as Anita Shreve, Elizabeth Berg, and Sue Miller.
REVIEWS:
“In Althouse-Wood's engaging novel, she alternates between past and present; gives BJ a fresh, honest voice; and beautifully develops the relationship between the grandmothers." ~Carolyn Kubisz, Booklist Review
“An engaging character study that alternates between the past and present, Summers at Blue Lake investigates how the actions of one generation can have consequences many decades later.” ~Robert Francis, Aptos Times
“The author skillfully builds suspense…Characterization is exceptional…Spikes of humor, brilliant descriptive passages…all contribute to a memorable, thought-provoking novel.” ~Barbara Johnson, Voya book reviews
AUTHOR BIO:
Jill Althouse-Wood grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Delaware with a BFA in Fine Arts, Jill returned to Pennsylvania where she enjoyed a fifteen-year career as a textile designer.
Because design was her profession, Jill turned to writing for a creative release. Her novel Summers at Blue Lake , which was originally published by Algonquin in 2007, is the result. This is the first time it’s available as an ebook.
After leaving the fabric industry, Jill resumed painting, and she also began using her experience in multiple art forms to teach workshops in journaling and creative thinking. She has designed and facilitated workshops for women's shelters, schools, health facilities, community centers, and Woman-to-Woman, a local event that benefits the YWCA and domestic violence services. Her art works have been exhibited across Pennsylvania in such places as Gallery Piquel in New Hope, Moondancer Winery in Wrightsville, and Red Raven in Lancaster's Gallery Row. Jill recently concluded a three-year term on the board of the Lancaster Literary Guild.
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While growing up, BJ spent her summers with her lesbian grandmothers at their farmhouse in Pennsylvania. These were happy days spent swimming, baking, reading, playing cards, and falling in love. Now BJ travels back to the farmhouse after the last of her grandmothers has passed away and her husband wants a divorce. With her five-year-old son in tow, BJ cleans out the farmhouse, sets up her artist's studio, and reestablishes a relationship with Travis, her first love. In the attic, she discovers a letter written by one of her grandmothers to BJ's late mother revealing a family secret that could impact her rekindled romance with Travis. She has choices to make and only the voices of the past to guide her. In Althouse-Wood's engaging novel, she alternates between past and present; gives BJ a fresh, honest voice; and beautifully develops the relationship between the grandmothers. The ending is a bit unsettling, but in sum this is a good effort by a first-time author. Kubisz, Carolyn
Description:
She thought that her family was an open book, without secrets. Even as a child, Barbara Jean Ellington knew her grandmothers were lesbians, a truth they never concealed. During BJ's summer vacations at their home on Blue Lake, Nonna and Lena taught her to swim and play cards, provided a lively contrast to BJ's conservative parents, and comforted BJ when her first summer romance ended abruptly and without reason. Now, years later, BJ seeks refuge in her late grandmothers' house in the wake of her husband's affair. As she relives the languid summer days of her youth and prepares the house for sale, she struggles to come to terms not only with the looming threat of divorce, but also with the Pandora's Box of family revelations she uncovers in Nonna's hidden notebooks. In them, she discovers a fifty-year family history littered with secrets from the past--secrets that have present day consequences for herself, her marriage, and for Travis, the boy who broke her heart during that long-ago summer.
With discerning prose and compelling characters, Summers at Blue Lake follows in the tradition of bestselling authors such as Anita Shreve, Elizabeth Berg, and Sue Miller.
REVIEWS:
“In Althouse-Wood's engaging novel, she alternates between past and present; gives BJ a fresh, honest voice; and beautifully develops the relationship between the grandmothers." ~Carolyn Kubisz, Booklist Review
“An engaging character study that alternates between the past and present, Summers at Blue Lake investigates how the actions of one generation can have consequences many decades later.” ~Robert Francis, Aptos Times
“The author skillfully builds suspense…Characterization is exceptional…Spikes of humor, brilliant descriptive passages…all contribute to a memorable, thought-provoking novel.” ~Barbara Johnson, Voya book reviews
AUTHOR BIO:
Jill Althouse-Wood grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Delaware with a BFA in Fine Arts, Jill returned to Pennsylvania where she enjoyed a fifteen-year career as a textile designer.
Because design was her profession, Jill turned to writing for a creative release. Her novel Summers at Blue Lake , which was originally published by Algonquin in 2007, is the result. This is the first time it’s available as an ebook.
After leaving the fabric industry, Jill resumed painting, and she also began using her experience in multiple art forms to teach workshops in journaling and creative thinking. She has designed and facilitated workshops for women's shelters, schools, health facilities, community centers, and Woman-to-Woman, a local event that benefits the YWCA and domestic violence services. Her art works have been exhibited across Pennsylvania in such places as Gallery Piquel in New Hope, Moondancer Winery in Wrightsville, and Red Raven in Lancaster's Gallery Row. Jill recently concluded a three-year term on the board of the Lancaster Literary Guild. **
From Publishers Weekly
Barbara Jean Ellington, BJ, is at a crossroads. Recently separated from her cheating husband, Bryce, BJ and five-year-old son Sam depart Michigan for her late grandmother Nonna's home in Pennsylvania. While sorting out her life, BJ comes across Nonna's private notebooks, and she uncovers family secrets—including how Nonna and her lesbian partner, Grandma Lena, came to spend their lives together. As BJ learns more about her family history, she is haunted by memories of her childhood and her first true love (and Lena's nephew), Travis. Things begin to look up when he appears one day, recently divorced, on her lawn, but a late reappearance by Bryce could muck things up. This is Althouse-Wood's first novel, and though she begins with an interesting premise, the novel falls victim to prose leaden with preciousness (I spoke the name, Sam, holding the m in my mouth like the taste of a Life Saver I was trying to commit to memory) and banal plotting. (Aug.)
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From Booklist
While growing up, BJ spent her summers with her lesbian grandmothers at their farmhouse in Pennsylvania. These were happy days spent swimming, baking, reading, playing cards, and falling in love. Now BJ travels back to the farmhouse after the last of her grandmothers has passed away and her husband wants a divorce. With her five-year-old son in tow, BJ cleans out the farmhouse, sets up her artist's studio, and reestablishes a relationship with Travis, her first love. In the attic, she discovers a letter written by one of her grandmothers to BJ's late mother revealing a family secret that could impact her rekindled romance with Travis. She has choices to make and only the voices of the past to guide her. In Althouse-Wood's engaging novel, she alternates between past and present; gives BJ a fresh, honest voice; and beautifully develops the relationship between the grandmothers. The ending is a bit unsettling, but in sum this is a good effort by a first-time author. Kubisz, Carolyn